Apparatus for the manufacture of gas



A(No Model.)

A. HIOKENLOOPER.

Apparatus for the Manufaotur'e of Gas. No. 243,046. Patented :une 14, |881.

" Invenor.-

N. Pains Phewmmuwr, wnningwn. nc.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ANDREvv'HIcKE-NLOOPEE, 0E cINcINNA'rI, onIo.

APPARATUS FOR THE MANAUFACTURE OF GAS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 243,046, dated June 14, 1881.

Application filed October 21, 1880. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, ANDREW HIOIIEN- LooPER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Cincinnati, Hamilton county, Qhio, have invented new and useful Improvements in Apparatus for the Manufacture of Gas, of which the following` is a specification.

My invention relates 'to the manufacture of gas for illuminating and other purposes by heat from coal or other materials, used separately or together, in a state of tine subdivision.

Various attempts have been made heretofore to manufacture gas by heat from pulverized coal injectedinto retorts by steam, air, and even by mechanical appliances; but such attempts have failed to develop practical results, and the methods and apparatus suggested have failed to come into any general public use.

The object of my invention is to render such manufacture practicable and economical; and to this end it consists, first, in the combination, with a gas-retort having at one end a hopper for Afeeding pulverized coal and at the other a sealing-mouth immersed iu water, of an endless chain passing through the hopper and retort, and through the sealing-mouth beneath the water, essentially as and for the purpose hereinafter' set forth second, in the combination, with a retort and an endless chain arranged to force the coal from which the gas is evolved through said retort, of a rear extension to said retort, curved downward, and opening into a vessel for containing water, a coke chamber or passage between said Watervessel and the retort, and a stand-pipe arranged to open into the said chamber or passage directly above the coke-chamber, essentially as hereinafter more particularly described; third, in the combination, with a gas -retort, of a cokechamber into which spent coke is fed by an endless chain passing through the retort, a rear extension of the retort leading down into a water-vessel, a stand-pipe opening into the passage between the retort and the water-vessel, and an oil-tube connecting with the standpipe in position to drop oil down into the cokechamber, all essentially as hereinafter described; fourth, in the combination, with the retort through which the pulverized coal is passed, of the coke-chamber, into which the spent coke is fed from said retort, the rear eX- tension of the retort leading down into a watervessel, the stand-pipe opening into a passage between the retort and the water-vessel, an oil-tube connectedwith the v'stand-pipe in position to drop oil down into the coke-chamber,

4and the pipe or pipes for the'introduetion of steam or air, or both, beneath the body of the coke, all as hereinafter fully described.

My invention is embodied in mechanism illustrated in the accompanyingv drawing exhibiting a vertical section of van apparatus by which it may be carried into effect.` i

' Oorrespondin g letters of reference are used in the drawing and specification.

In the drawing accompanying and'illustrating myinvention, A indicates the retort stack or setting, and B the retort proper. ter may be formed of theordinary clay, of any convenient size and form of section, is entirely open at both ends, and provided with suitable flanges at the ends Which project from the setting for securing the heads.

rlhe arrangements for heating need not be described, as any of the usual plans of setting may be adopted or any method of heating employed.

O is a hopper, having its discharge-outlet curved and-provided with a flan ge corresponding with that of the retort B, to which-it is secured in such position as to discharge horizontally at the bottom level of the retort. The funnel of the hopper may be of sheet-iron. secured to a casting of suitable form constituting the lower portion.

l) is an endless chain, of iron or steel, provided at suitable intervals with buttons and passing over and receiving motion from drivin g-wheels E F, arranged above the retortbench, and over idler-wheels and through a water-bath arranged at the rear of the retort, as hereinafter described. The chain D passes down through the hopper C and through its curved discharge-outlet, by which the direction of its travel is changed, and itis caused to drag along the bottom 'ofthe retort from front to rear.

G is a stand-pipe rising from a hollow chamber, H, attached to the rear end of the retort B. It is of the usual construction and func- The lat- 7o IOO tion, discharging into a hydraulic main, L, eX- tended over the top of the bench and leading ultimately to the gasometer or storage-tanks.

Beneath the stand-pipe G and opening into the hollow chamber II is the spent-coke receptacle I. The chain D, passing directly over its mouth, dropsinto this receptacle the coke drawn through the retort. The receptacle I is arranged directly beneath and in line with the stand-pipe G, in order that any tarry products condensed in the stand-pipe G may drop down upon the mass of incandescent coke in the receptacle I and be reeonverted into gas, and in order to further utilize the structure, and the body of incandescent coke in the receptacle, crude petroleuln or other gas-prod ucin g oil or liquid may be conducted to and dropped upon said incandescent coke with or without the addition of a blast of steam through the same from below, suitable means being provided for supplying the oil-pipe O and the steam-pipe S. The receptacle I is provided with a valve or sliding bottom, P, by which means the coke may be, when necessary, discharged into a lower chamber, J, where the coke may be quenched, steam or carbonio-acid gas being preferably used for this purpose. The chamber J is provided with an air-tight door, R, through which the spent coke is finally discharged.

The hollow chamber H is preferably a easting of iron provided with flanges for attachment to the retort B, and at the upper and lower orifices for the attachment of the standpipe G and the coke-chamber I thereto, respectively. It is extended rearward and curved downward, so as to bring its open mouth beneath the surface of a body of water in a receptacle, K.

In the mouth-piece of the hollow chamber H is journaled an idler-wheel, T, for the passage of the chain, and a similar idler, I", is journaled beneath in bearings either attached to the vessel K or to the mouth-piece. By these idlers the course of the chain is turned first downward and then upward after leaving the retort, passing through the body of water in the vessel K.

The operation is as follows: rIhe ground or slack coal, dry or saturated, is fed into the hopper and maintained at a sufficient depth to seal the discharge opening against the passage of gas. The endless chain, being set in ,motion by power communicated to the drivingwheels, passes through the body of ine coal, carrying a portion of the charge with each button into and through the retort. During this passage the particles of coal are in contact with the retort, being forced along by a scraping movement similar to the action of a hoe, and the gas is thoroughly extracted, while the resultant coke drops by gravity into the receptacle at the rear end ofthe retort. '.Ihe chain, it will be observed, being continuous and in steady motion, passes into the water after it has performed its duty in the retort, and is at once cooled, while the structure of the parts affords a perfect cooling of the retort by the water. The gases thus evolved may be enriched and increased in volume by the use of oils and of superheated steam upon and through the body of incandescent coke, the steam being converted into water-gas, or its hydrogen liberated by the action of the highly-heated coke, and caused to recombine with the carbon of the tarry matters or oils dropping upon the surface of the coke, and the resultant gases mingled with the proper product of the retort in the stand-pipe and carried to the ultimate mains or receivers. At suitable intervals the bottom valve of the discharge-chamber is drawn, and the spent coke allowed to fall into the lower receptacle, where it is extinguished by steam, water, or carbonicacid gas, as may be convenient.

It will be apparent that the process and apparatus hcreinbefore described may be used vwith any gas-producing material capable of being ground or divided into small particles.

Prior to my present invention an apparatus for desulphurizing ores has been provided, in which the ore to be desulphurized is moved along a hearth by means of scrapers carried by endless chains, which also pass through a body of water contained in a tank above the apparatus in order to cool the chains and scrapers, and thereby prevent destruction of the same by heat and sulphur. In view of this fact it will be understood that I do not claim, broadly, passing the heated chains carrying Scrapers through a body of water for the purpose of cooling the same. In another apparatus coal has been forced into and through rctorts by means of spiral conveyers, the coal falling from said retorts into an oven where the carbonizing is completed and the coal converted into coke and in such apparatus it has been proposed to introduce a jet of steam into the coke before the coke is discharged from the oven for the purpose of cooling the same, and in -some instances, where it is desired to enrich the gas, to inject a jet of oil into the coke before discharging the latter. Hence, the introduction of steam or oil into the body of the coke is not claimed, broadly, the feature claimed being the novel combination and construction of parts as hereinbefore described and specified in the claims.

Having described my invention, I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. In combination with a gas-retort having at one end a hopper for feeding pulverized coal and at the other a sealing-mouth immersed in water, an endless chain passing through the hopper and contents, and through the retort, and through the sealing-mouth beneath the water.

2. In combination with aretort, and an endless chain arranged to force the coal from which the gas is evolved through the retort, a rear extension to the retort, curved downward and opening into a vessel for containing IOO IIO

IIS

water, a coke chamber or passage between said water-vessel and the retort, and a standpipe arranged to open into the said chamber or passage directly above the coke-chamber, substantially as described.

3. The combination, with a retort, of the coke-chamber into which the coke is fed by an endless chain passing through the retort, a rear extension of. the retort leading down into a water-vessel, a stand-pipe opening into the passage between the retort and the watervessel, and an'oil-tube connecting with the stand-pipe in position to drop oil down into the coke-chamber, substantially as described.

4.` The combination, with the retort, of the coke-chamber into which the spent coke is fed from said retort, a rear extension of the retort leading down into a water-vessel, a stand-pipe opening into a passage between the retort and the water-Vessel, an oil-tube connecting with the stand-pipe in position to drop oil down into the coke-chamber, and a pipe or pipes for the introduction of steam or air, or both, beneath the body of the coke, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

ANDREW HICKENLOOPER.

Witnesses:

C. F. HEssER, G. P. DooLITTLE. 

